A/N: Any wolves you recognize from The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Basically everything else, including past and present wolf pack members, imprints, wolf families, and additional characters in this story belong to the universe created by the talented yay4shanghai!

Don't forget to check out yay4shanghai's stories, especially the two she is still working on, All the Things it Was Supposed to Be, But Wasn't that this fic takes place during and my personal favorite, The Pathetic Ramblings of a Homosexual Werewolf, and the other stories in this universe by liljenrocks, ari11990, and AsagariMelody. They really are amazing!

Also, thanks to my wonderful and fabulous Beta yay4shangai for all her help and for letting me play with her characters. She's awesome!

Morning Adventures and Anticipation

13 June 2041

The shaking woke me with a start. I shot upright as my eyes snapped open, immediately alert, assessing the situation and searching for potential threats, but finding none. Regular thoughts and reasoning kicked in about then, slowly catching up to my pounding heart. I took several deep breaths to regain control. My window was open allowing a slightly flowered breeze flow in which hinted at nearby juniper and lilac. The refreshing and familiar blend helped clear the haze from my head a little faster.

I was still a little disoriented when I looked first at the petite calloused hand on my shoulder then up at the familiar face of the person it belonged to: my mom. I didn't want her to see just how shaken up I was so I looked away, out the open window, and into the great expanse. Our house on the edge of La push was small but looked out onto a giant field of wildflowers so large it seemed endless. I used to love lying in that field for hours when I needed an escape growing up. I could focus on the blue, purple, and yellow flowers around me and practice distinguishing each one's unique scent while lying perfectly still. Remembering that and the tranquility that always accompanied, helped me mask the inner turmoil lingering from my dream.

My heart was still beating harder than was normal and I couldn't help trying to remember what I had been dreaming about, but you know how well that works. The harder you try to remember, the quicker the memory fades. All I could grasp was the overall sense of helplessness and apprehension that went along with it. I pretended to watch a robin hop around near my window so I had an excuse not to look back at her.

The nightmares first started when Devlin died. I hate them. At first they were like my subconscious's way of reminding me what happened, what I lost. As if I could ever forget. I wouldn't, not if I lived a thousand years. Now, it's just embarrassing to be seventeen and still have nightmares, but at least they don't happen as often anymore and I rarely remember what they're about. Nowadays they usually only occurred when something big was about to happen that I had been stressing over, like the anniversary of his death, formerly known as his, mine, and Melody's birthday. The worst part about the nightmares, I think, is that they always leave me feeling off when I wake up the next day.

I chanced a quick glace at my bedside clock and discovered the red glowing block numbers said it was just past eleven. No wonder she woke me up. I guess she figured I had slept a sufficient amount and already wasted enough of the day. I hadn't slept enough, not that it mattered, but I was unusually restless last night and didn't fall asleep until well after welcoming the new day's sun.

Looking back at my mom I noticed how concerned her eyes were as they assessed me. I realized I hadn't done a good enough job covering up my reaction this morning. I hated making her worry, so with a semi-genuine smile I signed, 'good morning.' She wasn't fooled.

'What's wrong, Levi? You never sleep late.' Besides me, my mom was the best at sign language now that Devlin was gone, she was quick and fluid every time. I wonder if playing guitar helped improve her agility.

'Nothing,' I signed looking directly at her, hoping she would drop it there. I saw her fingers twitch and knew she was about to press it, so I quickly added, 'I just miss Melody. I'm looking forward to seeing her today.' That brought a mischievous smile and a faint pink blush to her face.

'Yes, Taylor has been keeping her busy a lot lately,' was her only response to that. It made me grin too, both from relief that she was dropping the previous subject and because it was the biggest understatement of the year and we both knew it. The whole pack knew it too. She didn't give me a chance to tease her anymore about how Taylor was keeping Melody busy before she changed the subject again.

'Solace called. He asked if you still wanted to go to the beach with him today since he has Chloe and Ava for the weekend. I told him you would, but if you aren't feeling up to it or if you'd rather spend the day with Melody and Taylor I can let him know,' she signed rapidly, not stopping until I held up my hand and shook my head forcefully.

'No, I'm fine. I want to go,' desperately hoping this was the end of my morning interrogation. Solace and I had been planning this for a few weeks now, since Phil and Tara first started planning their trip.

They were taking Hope, who was almost four now, to a parade in Seattle this weekend. Tara was pregnant, just a couple months to go now, with her and Phil's second child. She was having a boy and Phil was positively thrilled about it as he anxiously awaited the arrival of his son.

It was funny to witness considering most of the pack knew Phil wasn't a kid person until he met Tara. Now he devoted his life to his four and his wife. You would never know that Chloe and Ava weren't biologically his because they were all so close; they weren't interested in the parade though. I think it was featuring Sesame Street or some other similar television show, which meant the two girls begged to stay behind with their Uncle Solace instead and Phil would never dream of denying them something they wanted.

Living so close to his best friend had allowed Solace to become a huge part of the Lynch family's life. He never mentioned it, but he loved it. He especially loved Chloe and Ava because they provided him with an additional link to Maddox. Chloe had known about Solace and Maddie's friendship for years and had secretly passed messages between the two. She also shared private discussions between the two, which I'm fairly sure Maddie would kill her for if she knew.

Maddox was also the only problem Solace had hanging out and taking care of the girls. She hated that Chloe and Ava were allowed to while she still couldn't. It made her jealous and upset. Over time she got used to it, but demanded that he always have another wolf with him; she was a jealous imprint, even if she was uniformed about the connection.

I was his usual choice as second when he was babysitting for Phil. Jordan was usually too busy teaching or spending time with Mark and Eli, and he said the others all pried too much. He hated that and knew I wouldn't. I didn't mind spending time with them, mostly because he didn't pry either. It was nice, relaxing, not to try so hard and just be myself. I also liked spending time with the girls. They were impossible not to adore with their sparkling eyes and boundless energy. It also never ceased to be entertaining how dedicated Ava was to learning and practicing sign language. I could already tell that Eli would have his hand full with her one day and I didn't mind helping her get there along the way.

'He'll meet you at Taylor's around one then,' my mom signed after waving her hands in my face to regain my attention. I had been absently picking at a loose thread on my navy sheets, it was too hot for the actual blanket I left folded up at the foot of my bed, but she had my interest now.

'We're still on for lunch? You talked to Mel this morning and made sure?' I signed with a raised brow to show her I was skeptical.

She finished the discussion with a laughing nod, leaving me to get dressed for the day. I smiled my first real smile since waking up; I couldn't wait to see Melody.

I quickly grabbed the first clothes I found, a pair of dark blue board shorts and a plain white t-shirt, conveniently hanging off my bed post. I didn't even waste time bothering to comb my hair or find shoes. I traded my grey sweatpants for the new outfit before taking off and jogging the two blocks towards Taylor's new house.

Over the last couple of years things had changed between Mel and Tay, their love had shifted to the inevitable and the physical aspects that went along with that had finally caught up. Unfortunately for everyone around them, they were at the point now where the double imprint acted as a potent aphrodisiac. They couldn't keep their hands off one another and good luck trying to pry their lips apart for any length of time. Lately, they underwent periods of lockdown at Taylor's or disappeared in the woods, only to resurface days later completely lethargic, with blessed-out looks on their faces and reeking of sex.

We'd all had to pick up a few extra patrols that they missed this summer. Mark was even picking up a few although he had stepped down and let Freddie take his place just over a year ago. Mark had been a great Alpha, the best ever according to Seth and he has run with all of them since this pack was established, including Jacob, but there was no way Mark was stepping in and stopping the madness, neither was Freddie. What Taylor and Melody did, almost 24 hours a day, was their business, even if it meant I rarely saw my sister anymore.

When I arrived at Tay's front door I paused. Bracing myself, I inhaled deeply. I let out a relieved sigh when I caught the faint musky traces of sex; I was relieved because they were stale and not the stronger scents I had come to dread. This routine had become a standard practice when I approached this house or anywhere else Taylor and my sister might be.

I always comforted myself with it's a better warning than hearing them have sex. I will be forever grateful of that after seeing the look of horror on my father's face as he stared at the house when we showed up here the first time they locked themselves in together. I know it's what he heard that scarred him because my sense of smell and sight are better; sometimes being deaf is a blessing.

I would also never interrupt again either. I made that mistake once. Never again. I still don't know how I lived through that one. I can't wipe that memory from my mind even if I tried, and I have.

I barely had time to phase before she tackled me snarling and snapping her fangs while assaulting my mind with all the reasons why she was so pissed, describing in detail just how close she was before I interrupted. Oh and there were images, lots of them, in case I didn't get the point before that. I had nightmares for a week after that.

I checked the air again, sniffing cautiously just to be safe, and knocked on the door. I fidgeted while waiting, tapping my foot and drumming my fingers on my shorts, I was still antsy and just could not seem to shake it today.

The door swung open to reveal Melody looking radiant, entirely happy. She immediately jumped on me, giving me a bone crushing hug before pulling me inside. Taylor's house was a very small place near the beach. He didn't make much money as a police officer in Forks, a job he got through connections with Seth, so the house wasn't much, but his sister Amber, a very successful interior decorator, made the tiny place seem like a palace. The whole house was decorated in hardwood floors and light neutral shades that flowed from one room to another opening the place up and making it appear larger. The airy feel and muted coloring fit its dual beach and forest locality.

'Hi! How are you? I miss you so much. What have you been up to? When are you heading to the beach,' she signed while walking backwards to the taupe couch I noticed Taylor sitting on. He waved over her shoulder with a smile before catching her in his lap when she tripped over a shoe lying between the coffee table and sofa.

I watched him laugh at her. She responded with a punch in the shoulder then a kiss when he pouted. I couldn't help grinning at their antics.

'Answers,' Mel signed when she looked back towards me.

'I'm fine. Nothing's new. Maybe you wouldn't miss me so much and you'd know that if I saw you more than once every four days. I would ask what you've been up to, but I think I know,' I signed back, smirking at the rewards wrought by my ability to still make my little sister blush such an intense school girl shade of red, and at the triumphant look that covered Tay's face as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. Melody buried her face in Taylor's chest after a few moments of embarrassment.

'Are you guys hungry? I haven't eaten yet,' I signed to Taylor since he was looking at me over my sister's head. He nodded so I made my way to his kitchen.

I noticed his oak table was hidden beneath eight empty pizza boxes and several two-liters of coke when I got there. Looking back into the living room planning to say something about it, I saw that they were already back in deep stare mode, so I let it go.

Cooking has always been one of my favorite things to do. Growing up I spent hours with Jordan in the kitchen at his and Mark's cabin learning how and at home I usually made most of the meals. It was therapeutic and I loved trying different combinations of spices. I stir-fried chicken and veggies over rice for lunch today. I figured the two love birds needed something a little healthier after their pizza binge.

While chopping the vegetables at the kitchen counter I watched them, cuddled and close. When they were together the rest of the world just fell away, it didn't exist anymore. I am happy for my sister, really I am but I was jealous too, although I would never admit that to anybody. I want that bond, the closeness they share. When Devlin died half of me left with him, I was incomplete.

Being shy and deaf doesn't make it easier; there is no way to prevent the self isolation I tend to embrace. Imprinting would make it so much easier though, it had to be. I would be able to let someone in and know that that person would understand me and be perfectly suited for me. They would just get it, get me, and I wouldn't have to try so hard to let someone in. It would just happen.

I'm a wolf, so I could imprint too, but I don't think it's likely that I'll meet my perfect match. She would have to be deaf too and or part of the tribe, but you don't really meet that many deaf girls around here and I already know all of the ones at my school, I'd made sure to look each and every one of them in the eye a few years ago when I first phased. I also already know all of the wolf pack girls and I have seen at least half of the other Quileute girls… no luck so far. Maybe being deaf is like being gay, you can't imprint. Maybe it was a disability thing, imprinting was for the propagation of the wolf gene, and I was damaged.

Mel would kill me if she knew I thought like this. She wouldn't understand and it would hurt her to know. Since Dev died, she is doubly protective of me, taking on both my sibling's need to look out for me. Sometimes I feel like, without meaning to, she treats me as if I'm made of glass and will shatter into a million pieces if you don't handle me with kid gloves.

Tay and Mel joined me before I could get too lost in thought and went about pouring the remainder of the soda left out from when they got pizza over ice and searching for clean dishes before settling on paper plates for us to use. Taylor just shrugged when I eyed the forks he found. They were just finishing when the food was ready.

'Jordan is teaching a summer writing class today, you should invite Mark and Eli to join you guys at the beach,' Tay signed after devouring a few bites.

'Good idea. Ava will love it. Can you call him? Solace is bringing the girls here in a few minutes,' I signed back. Taylor nodded and pulled out his phone calling Mark. He signed both sides of the conversation while talking so I knew Mark agreed and that they would be there in about 20 minutes.

Signing anytime I was around, even if I wasn't part of the conversation was something most of the pack circle had gradually begun doing over the years. It really picked up after Eli was adopted. I liked that it was their way of making us feel included and that it made observing, rather than participating in a conversation easier.

The rest of lunch passed quickly. We talked about Randy's summer internship, what they missed during training, and we teased Mel about how long her hair was getting. It was nice, but it did nothing to calm the unsettled feeling building inside me. The whole day I was on edge, starting with the dream. It was a feeling I didn't really know how to explain, like there was something important I needed to be doing.

I was washing the dishes when Solace, Chloe, and Ava showed up. Ava immediately demanded that Taylor pick her up. I watched as Melody signed her lips moving in unison, 'Guess who is coming?'

Ava squealed and launched herself away, using Tay's chest as a springboard, then running around the room and bouncing up and down. It was funny, she didn't need more than that to know she was about to see her best friend Eli. Those two were inseparable.

'So I take it that you are excited to see your boyfriend,' Tay asked, halting her loop around the sofa and coffee table instantly.

'He is NOT my boyfriend,' I watched her respond. I hadn't needed her to sign that. It was clear enough from reading her lips and watching her cross her arms then glare at him. I know she was trying to look mad, but I could tell that underneath it she was scared. I remember Solace mentioning once that she hated us teasing her like this because she was afraid that Eli would find out and stop being friends with her, but we all knew that would never happen. He worshipped her.

Everyone laughed and Taylor just nodded before wrapping his arms around Melody, pulling her back down onto the couch and nuzzling her neck. Everyone was still laughing at Ava's reaction when Mark walked in carrying Eli a moment later.

'Did we miss all the excitement,' Mark signed after setting Eli down. Eli shot straight for Ava and the two of them began a rapid conversation about their days so far completely ignoring everyone else.

'No, we were just observing the next generation of love,' Solace responded with a bittersweet smile. He looked around avoiding eye contact then nodded towards the couch and added, 'we should probably go before they get to watch how future generations are made.'

I looked over and noticed Tay was half reclined with Mel on top of him and that they had progressed to full on making out. I had no clue where his hands were and didn't particularly want to find out. The two of them were completely oblivious to the rest of us still standing there, or maybe this was just how they silently said, get out.

So with that we set off for the beach, each of us carrying one of the kids, piggyback style. I walked next to Mark with Ava on my back. Mark and I shared a smile over her efforts to hang on while signing to Eli who was clinging to Mark's back. Solace dropped behind, but a glace back showed that he was riveted by whatever Chloe was whispering in his ear. One guess said that it was about Maddox, nothing or no one made him smile like that.

I love the beach and it was a beautiful day, but today I was compelled to walk faster, I couldn't wait to get there. Something was waiting for me, I could just feel it.

~*~ ∞ ~*~